You may not have a dream, but at least now you can have a high-speed Internet connection. A new advertising campaign by a French company has now answered any questions about what is for sale in America. The answer, unfortunately, is everything.
Alcatel, a technological company that produces voice and data networks, recently premiered a commercial featuring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. giving his "I Have A Dream" speech. In the commercial, the famous footage of King at the top of the Mall in Washington, D.C., is graphically altered so that he appears alone. A voiceover tells us, "Before you can inspire, before you can touch, you must first connect. And the company that connects more of the world is Alcatel. Alcatel, a leader in communication networks." Then, we see King standing as he did in history, among a thousands of cheering supporters and civil rights advocates.
According to a press release, the ad is part of a campaign that aims to "emphasize Alcatel's role in connecting the world by bringing to life poignant speeches, songs, [and] events" in history. According to its detractors, it's the newest low by a big corporation in an effort to make a buck.
Those who defend the ad call it a "tribute," arguing that the campaign glorifies King and his ideas. Anyone who sends a complaint to the company receives an e-mail from its president, who defends the ad as such: "We do not believe that we have disrespected Martin Luther King's legacy. To the contrary, our intent is to honor his 'I have a dream' speech, one of the most powerful moments in history."
But it's not an issue of disrespect within the context of the ad. No matter how classy the spot, that doesn't change the fact that it's a commercial, and that Alcatel is using Dr. King for commercial purposes. The innovators behind this ad obviously think highly of King, or at least recognize that millions of people do, or they wouldn't try to associate his name with their product. The problem is that this company is attempting to make a profit off of the civil rights movement and King's success therein. Yes, the ad portrays King in a powerful light. But its purpose, first and foremost, is for Alcatel to capitalize, and any respect the company has for King and his cause is secondary.
It seems rampantly unfair to me that a company headed by white Europeans can swoop down, buy an image, and assume that with that image comes the prestige and honor associated with Dr. King. Essentially, this company is taking credit for the impact of Dr. King's speech. Even worse, by placing King in their commercials, they imply that their contribution to America, as technological businesspeople, is on par with King's contribution to America as the leader of the civil rights movement.
No matter how good Alcatel is at making network switches, they cannot compare to King's success in making peace. And if, for some reason, they could if their company somehow worked to better the human race in a way comparable to King's — they should make that the focus of their ad. Instead, they try to piggyback on the success of a man who gave his life to and for racial equality.
The ad is totally reprehensible, but not surprising. It was only a matter of time before big corporations ran out of pop stars, athletes, and Beatles songs to pitch their products and started hacking away at our heritage and institutions. Alcatel's campaign is the result of a capitalistic evolution in which our society values bottom-line profits over all other forms of human interaction. In the last 50 years, the quest for money has superceded pretty much everything as the collective main priority in America, and everything we try to achieve today revolves around the central question: How much?
The King Center, it seems, which is responsible for the estate of Dr. King, is not immune to this syndrome. The center tightly guards the rights to the "Dream" speech, which is in keeping with their mission to "ensure that entities connected with Dr. King's legacy in any manner maintain a high level of integrity." However, their standards seem to slip when the price is right. Alcatel, who digitally altered the footage and essentially tampered with history and the impact of King's speech, confirms having paid the estate for the use of the clip (though neither side will release how much money was exchanged).
Luckily, the popular reaction to the ad has me convinced that not all hope is lost. At the same time, the fact that such an ad exists in the first place speaks volumes about our commercial culture and the values under which we operate.
